Home Secretary warns against division over Henry Nowak murder

In the Commons, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood warned “misinformation and inflammatory commentary is making a dreadful situation even worse”, as ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia and UK Editor Paul Brand report

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has condemned the murder of Southampton student Henry Nowak as an “evil act” as she told the Commons, “we cannot allow this murder to turn communities against one another”.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said investigators, who will meet Mr Nowak’s family, are examining a large amount of body-worn video as well as material presented during Digwa’s trial.

The watchdog is planning to report on the police handling of Henry Nowak’s murder in the next three months, Mahmood said.

On Tuesday morning, Nigel Farage issued a statement about the case, suggesting that we are “living in two-tier Britain where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities”.

Keir Starmer later responded: “Nigel Farage is completely wrong to use this to try and create division”.

The Home Secretary echoed this and condemned those “who seek personal political profit from tragedy”.

Continuing her statement, Mahmood reinforced the government’s commitment to halving knife crime but admitted: “We must do more whilst there are still tragedies like this one”.

She said a “dangerous undercurrent” in the wake of Mr Nowak’s murder has led to death threats against police.

Ms Mahmood said one officer had already been misidentified and had to move out of his home to protect himself and his family after receiving death threats.

Laster, the prime minister branded the police bodycam footage of the death of Henry Nowak as “harrowing”.

Speaking as “a father of a 17-year-old boy” Starmer said he “felt sick” watching the footage.

Starmer shared his condolences with the Henry’s family saying that “his life has been stolen and they are understandably devastated”.

Mr Nowak’s killer, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, told police attending the scene of the stabbing in Southampton on December 3, 2025, that he had been the victim of a racist attack.

Body-worn camera footage from the incident appeared to show Mr Nowak, who had received two stab wounds on the back of his legs and a fatal wound to his heart, repeatedly pleading “I’ve been stabbed” and “I can’t breathe” while being handcuffed.

The harrowing case has prompted widespread anger over the 18-year-old’s treatment by police officers as he lay dying and the 21-year sentence handed to Digwa on Monday.

According to Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones, a “central” part of this crime was Digwa’s ability “to carry a knife in public” due to the exemption given to carrying ceremonial daggers.

Referencing the calls to “limit the right of Sikhs to carry their ceremonial knives”, the Home Secretary said “carrying a knife for the purpose of religious observance is one thing” but condemned its use in this “vile act”.

In response, Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary criticised the police response and claimed that “the dangerous ideology of so-called anti-racism” allowed people to be treated differently.

He urged the Home Secretary to withdraw the police’s “so-called anti-racism commitment”, labelling it as “morally wrong”.

Police Chiefs are already reconsidering some of their anti racism commitments in the light of the Henry Nowek case.

The Police Anti Racism Commitment contains this paragraph: “Our commitment to racial equity means; Producing equality of policing outcomes for people from different ethnic groups by responding to individuals and communities according to their specific needs, circumstances and experiences, with understanding that these will be racialised and with the aim of reducing harm. It does not mean treating everyone ‘the same’ or being ‘colour blind’ (racial equality).”

On Tuesday evening, a source close to the Home Secretary told ITV News the language in the commitment was ‘clumsy’ and confirmed that the National Police Chiefs Council was reviewing the wording to ensure that everyone was equal in the eyes of the law.

It looks like the first change of police language in response to Henry Nowek’s death, but with the Independent Office of Police Conduct investigating and the Prime Minister not ruling out a wider inquiry, its hard to believe there won’t be more change to the policing of race issues further down the line.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson, Max Wilkinson, welcomed the Home Secretary’s comments to parliament and supported police officers saying: “We rely on their good judgement every day” and highlighted that “Digwa betrayed his faith”.

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Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi has accused Reform UK and Restore Britain of politicising pain and using the Sikh community as a “scapegoat”.

The MP for Slough said he was “deeply saddened by the murder of Henry Nowak”.

He continued: “What’s very galling is that the likes of Reform, Restore, and the far-right decided to politicise people’s pain, attacking the Sikh community for wearing the kirpan and wanting it banned, even though the kirpan was not used in this violent attack.

“And they’ve decided to scapegoat and throw under the bus an entire community based on the actions of one violent murderer.”

Speaking to broadcasters on Tuesday afternoon, Nigel Farage said he “feels a sense of cold rage” about the case and claimed that Hampshire police are told “to police incidents differently according to ethnicity”.

The Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, ordered the government to give a statement on this case following public and political outcry about Digwa’s trial, who was jailed for life, with a minimum sentence of 21 years, on Monday.

SOURE: https://www.itv.com/news/2026-06-02/home-secretary-urges-against-division-over-henry-nowak-murder